Method for producing self-attaching fasteners, a self-attaching fastener forming assembly, and a self-attaching fastener

Abstract

A self-attaching fastener production system 10 in which pre-fasteners 22 are created and coupled together by wires 87, 88 before, in one non-limiting embodiment, they are respectively communicated to a tapping portion 50 in order to form self-attaching fasteners.

1 ) A method for producing self-attaching fasteners comprising the steps of obtaining wire; forming the wire into a plurality of discrete items, wherein each of said plurality of discrete items have a predetermined shape and with at least one groove; only after each of said plurality of discrete items have been formed, forcing a wire into each of said at least one grooves of each of said plurality of discrete items, thereby coupling said-previously formed plurality of discrete items; and tapping each of said coupled plurality of discrete items thereby forming self-attaching fasteners. 
   
   
       2 ) The method of  claim 1  wherein said self-attaching fasteners comprise pierce nuts. 
   
   
       3 ) A self-attaching fasteners forming assembly comprising a straightener which receives and straightens wire; a die which receives said straightened wire from said straightener and which forms said received straightened wire into a plurality of discrete tangible items; a knurling assembly which receives said plurality of previously formed plurality of discrete items and which receives a second wire, wherein said knurling assembly couples each of said previously formed plurality of discrete items onto said second wire; and a tapper assembly which receives said coupled discrete items from said knurling assembly and which produces a threaded hole into each of said received and coupled plurality of discrete items, thereby forming said self-attaching fasteners. 
   
   
       4 ) A self-attaching fastener formed by the process of obtaining, wire; producing pre-self-attaching fastener; coupling said formed pre-self-attaching fastener item to a wire; and forming a threaded hole within said previously coupled and previously formed pre-self-attaching fastener, thereby forming self-attaching fastener item. 
   
   
       5 ) The self-attaching fastener of  claim 3  wherein said self-attaching fastener comprises a pierce nut. 
   
   
       6 ) A method for making a self-attaching fastener comprising the steps of obtaining a press fix nut; creating at least one wire retention groove within the obtained press fix nut; placing wire within the created at least one wire retention groove, thereby forming a self-attaching fastener.